


Pride

by odiko_ptino



Series: Featured Character: Dionysus [4]
Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Gen, Stonewall Riots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 21:43:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17030541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/odiko_ptino/pseuds/odiko_ptino
Summary: Dionysus at the event that kicked off Gay Pride.





	Pride

1969:

He was only there in person, briefly.

——–

He was Dennis, then – wearing a silk shirt with ruffles, tucked into bright purple bell-bottoms and accented with a wide belt.  He wore an era-appropriate mustache and the platform shoes that were beginning to catch on in the country.  Dennis has gone in drag before – at the Stonewall Inn, yes, but countless times in the previous several thousand years in innumerable locales across the world. But today, he’s there in “plain” clothes, just enjoying himself as he watches the mostly-young crowd of gay people as they sing and dance and drink.  To that end, he’s also present as the god of festivity – but today, at this place and this time, he’s chosen to be there in person as well.  

Apollo had told him he might want to.  He wouldn’t specify why – the god of prophecy rarely does – but they’ve all learned by now to heed his advice.  So he slips on one of his favored identities: Dennis, a sometimes-drag queen and always-queer man; wearing a little less makeup than usual and sipping his bootlegged alcohol as he watches the scene.  

At this time and place in history, he doesn’t often see the other gods – they make occasional appearances but it’s mostly his show.  Eros and Aphrodite are probably the most frequent presences, but even then, gay culture is considered so distinct that they mostly leave it to him to run.

He isn’t surprised to see Ares, though, when the police enter – another raid.  Not the first.  Ares drags himself in after the plainclothes cops with a clear lack of enthusiasm.  As the god of civic order, Ares is obligated to be there where the police are.  But his presence is thin and shadowy, and Ares himself does not deign to participate beyond watching.  

“Exactly what do a bunch of gays and lesbians at a bar have to do with civic order,” he has complained before, and resents being required be here.  His barely-substantial presence is an indication that although the official agents of civic order are present, they do not have his blessing as they shout to the patrons, ordering them to line up and present their identification; then, in short order, to enter the police patrol wagon.

The spirit of festivity is gone entirely, leaving only Dennis in his bell-bottoms.  Dionysus sighs and prepares to fade out of reality, to witness the injustice to his people –

\- but then, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the winged form of Eris, hovering over the lineup.  She catches his eye and offers a half-smirk and a wink, and tosses a golden apple into the air.

The chaos has begun to escalate even before there’s a chance to see where the apple went.

In a flash, “Dennis” is gone, vanished; in his place, huge and suddenly powerful, is Dionysus: the god of these outcasts of society, the gays, the lesbians, the ones for whom terms don’t exist yet, as they begin to shout and sing and loudly declare themselves for who they are.

Ares, god of courage and fighting spirit, is suddenly there as well – having to switch sides and fight against himself again, as he often does, but considerably bigger and more substantial and  _enthusiastic_ as he spurs on the crowd as they begin to fight the police.

Eris is everywhere, wild and savage and joyful, whispering suggestions into the ears of the bystanders, goading them into just jumping in and participating.

Dionysus is in all of them: all of his queer children, as they surge forward as a force to be reckoned with.  He is powerful, this night; and he vows that he will make the memory of this moment ring through the years.

————————-

Present day:

——

He’s Dennis again, and he’s experimenting with a “hipster bear” look.  And yeah, frankly, the look is not working for him; but Apollo’s been frowning with so much disapproval that Dionysus is determined to wear the plaid and suspenders and beard anyway.

Apollo thinks that Dionysus should be dressing to his type, which of course is effeminate and/or fey but jeez!! There’s more to life than looking fabulous every minute of every day!  You gotta leave room to experiment!

Luckily, Apollo is distracted by the even-more offensive presence of Ares, who’s dressed in the exact same fatigues and under-armour shirt that he wears everywhere else.

Ares has been present for every Pride event since its inception – as usual, in two capacities. There’s still a push-and-pull between civic order and gay pride, but at least once every June, he shows up in person to march with Dionysus in a parade to commemorate the riots.

That was four decades ago, and Dionysus has figured out that Ares is never, ever,  _ever_  going to be convinced to dress flamboyantly – or even just dress nicer than usual – for these events, and for his part, Dio’s fine with it. Ares is who he is, and it’s enough for Dionysus that his heart is on the side of the people who need his courage.

“I’m not gonna wear a cravat,” he says flatly to Apollo.

Apollo is part of the show, now – he was always on the fringes, indirectly involved, since so many artists and musicians were more open with their queer sexualities.  That role has expanded; and he’s additionally representing younger boys and men who are learning this is a part of themselves. Similarly, Artemis is here, for the girls; and Hermaphroditus accompanies them for those who don’t fall under the twins’ purview.  All three are, as expected, basically gay fashion icons.

Aphrodite and Eros are standing beside each other, a dual explosion of glitter and rainbow colors. Hermes is hovering over them, wearing the ugliest (but admittedly very eye-catching and enthusiastically proud) outfit that Dionysus has ever seen.  The messenger god, in spite of having a finger in virtually every other spiritual pie in the world, doesn’t have an official capacity here and waits excitedly for the parade where they all join in person, same as Helios.

“Man, you look like a wet blanket,” Hermes teases Ares.  “A drab shadow on our sparkly rainbow parade!  I can loan you a cool puce-and-chartreuse shirt – I mean, it would probably be a crop top on you, but that’s actually even better – ”

“Nope!”

“It’s fine,” Dionysus says brightly.  “People will probably assume he’s here to represent the military kink.  That’s still a thing!”

Ares’ eyebrows shoot up. “Uh-?!”

“Here, Enyal- er, Ares,” says Icarus, the kid that the sun idiots have declared as their lover. Another of Dionysus’ people.  “You can have my flag pin?  It’s a little more toned-down than wearing a bucket of glitter?”

Ares’ face does that thing where he tries to smile but it looks like he’s baring his teeth.  Icarus doesn’t even blink; he must have already been warned.  “Thanks, kiddo.”

“Icarus!” Apollo looks surprised.  “But, what about you?”

The mortal shrugs.  “They hand out tons of pins and flags and stuff, I’ll get another one.”

“But – you’re not going to march with us?”  Helios is pouting hardcore.

Icarus’ cheeks color a little.  “It’s – uh, not really my thing,” he says, awkwardly.  “I mean, not that I’m like, ashamed, or not supportive, or whatever, it’s just… I’m not into parades?”

Dionysus swoops in to give Icarus an enormous (gay-hipster-style) bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.  “That’s perfectly all right, darling boy, that’s what we were doing this for.  So you can be the sweetest little gay cutie any way you want.”

As he’d expected, Apollo and Helios immediately forget about Icarus’ reticence in favor of yelling at Dionysus for daring to give THEIR BOYFRIEND a hug and a kiss!!

They don’t notice, though Dionysus does, that Ares and Icarus exchange a fist bump before the god of courage goes to join his consort and (possible) son where they stand in a puddle of glitter.

Dionysus’ heart swells. So many aspects of life here today, represented at last.  Pride is the only word for it.


End file.
